


To build a home

by lestibournes



Series: Did you see the sparks filled with hope? [1]
Category: Cosmere - Brandon Sanderson, Mistborn - Brandon Sanderson
Genre: Missing Scene, Other, clubs is gay bc i said so, dead significant other mentioned, this is gonna be the first chapter of a collection of missing scenes hehe, well clubs didn't get much backstory time so here i am
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-02
Updated: 2020-03-02
Packaged: 2021-02-27 22:34:07
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 964
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22993267
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lestibournes/pseuds/lestibournes
Summary: A missing scene of Vin and Clubs’ Allomancy lesson (set in between tFE chapter 27 & 28)
Series: Did you see the sparks filled with hope? [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1652455
Comments: 6
Kudos: 13





	To build a home

Vin’s final lesson was with Clubs. She hadn’t spent much time with him as she did with other crew members. In fact, Vin didn’t think she’d be alone with the ill-tempered Smoker before. _This would be so much fun_ , Vin thought. She didn’t know what she expected to learn from Clubs. Coppercloud was a relatively easy allomancy, and she had been using it pretty much every single day.

She knocked on the door of Club’s workshop. A hoarse voice came from inside: ‘Come in!’ Vin braced herself, and went through the door.

Warm candlelights lit up the room, making it feel cozy. Clubs was sitting at his desk, focusing on polishing one of his apprentice’s final work.

The room was neat and well-organized. Shelf and shelf of finished pieces, by Clubs himself and some of his apprentices, safely and respectfully put away for admiration. Among numerous little art pieces, there was something Vin recognized. A replica of Mare’s drawing. _A flower_ , Vin thought. _It still looked odd. But beautiful somehow. Kelsier must have shown it to Clubs._ Next to it stood a miniature of Club’s shop. Vin was in complete awe of how much it resembled the actual building. The wooden miniature house was simply remarkable; Vin wouldn’t have believed someone was capable of producing something so delicate and so beautiful.

Vin sat down on the chair before Clubs’ desk, watching him work. She couldn’t sense his emotions, of course, as Clubs had his copper on almost all the time. But Vin didn’t need allomancy to see his emotions when he was focusing on his art. Such intense and quiet passion. Vin had never seen this side of Clubs before.

“You have been doing this for a long time?” Vin blurted out, feeling a bit awkward as she felt like an intruder between Clubs and his art. Clubs didn’t look away from his work, he simply let out an “Mm” as a yes. “You never stop?” Clubs put down his tools and looked up at her, leaning back on his chair to relax. “Guess you’re a talker now.” Vin blushed. Clubs sighed.

“Stopped for a while after I was discharged from the army. Then started again when I opened the shop.” Clubs said as he filled his mug with ale.

“Army? Why did you serve in Lord Ruler’s army?” Vin asked without thinking. This is the first time he ever even mentioned his past. Clubs froze. He was good at hiding his emotions if he wanted to but Vin could still feel it was a sensitive subject. “Sorry,” she immediately said, “I didn’t mean to intrude.”

Clubs took a deep breath. “It’s alright, kid,” he grunted. “I rarely think about it anymore, that’s all.” Silence. Clubs took a sip. “I joined, because it was good money. And because someone I cared about enlisted.”

“A brother?” _Lord Ruler, Clubs had a dead brother too?_ “No.” Clubs said softly. “A boy who died. Opening a shop was his idea, I did it for him.” Vin’s eyes wide open. She knew all too well those who ended up underground had lost people they loved one way or another. She just never thought Clubs had too. Old man knew how to hide his emotions too well. Still, it took her by surprise. For a skaa, Clubs seemed to have it all together. He had a carpentry shop of his own and managed to work underground as well without drawing any attention from the Steel Ministry. _What pain was he trying to bury?_

“That was when your leg got wounded?” Vin asked. Clubs nodded. “I tried to save him and I failed,” Vin said nothing. In fact, she didn’t know what to say. She thought silence was the best response she could offer, and she was right for Clubs didn’t need fancy words to make him feel better, just understanding.

“The only thing you need to learn from me about Copper is that, however hard you try, you can only protect yourself and people you care about to an extent.” Clubs said softly. “Coppercloud protects people from emotional allomancy, nothing else. Even though sometimes you wish it would shield from enemy’s weapons too.”

Vin nodded. “The boy that died. You loved him?” Clubs showed her a weak smile. “Yes. Dearly.” Vin nodded again. It made sense now. His sorrow and his anger and the walls he built around him. “I don’t know the full story, but I don’t think you failed. Not from the way I see it anyway.” Vin said softly. “You saw to it that his dream was fulfilled. That must have counted for something.”

Clubs shot a weird glance at her as if surprised. He trailed his fingers along the edge of his desk, lost in his thoughts. Finally, he nodded, his expression hard to read as usual.

“You haven’t told anyone what you told me?” Vin asked. Clubs shook his head. “Why not?” He eyed her, and let out a sigh. “Because, kid, what is the use of it?”

“Surely the crew would understand what you went through,” Vin said softly, “they wouldn’t think of you as a stern grumpy old man anymore.”

Clubs shrugged and let out a chuckle. He had an amiable, kind smile, though he rarely allowed anyone to see it. “Ah, I think they kind of knew.” He took a sip from his cup. “True friends are like that. You don’t have to tell them verbally, they understand anyway.”

-

Before Vin stepped out of Clubs’ workshop, she turned. “What do we do, to protect people we love, even though we know we’re not strong enough?” Clubs didn’t answer until a few seconds later. “We do what we can and hope that’s enough.” Vin nodded, and then closed the door behind her.

**Author's Note:**

> if you enjoy this please be my friend (find me on twitter @ renarinkholins)


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